Psal 119. Behold mine affliction And notwithstanding godly men be full of afflictions sorrowes and sicknesses necessities molestations and disgraces yet al these or whatsoeuer other calamities vanish away in time and the hope of Gods fauor blessed reward from him shal out liue all these and take place when these are abolished Psal 37.37 Marke well the vpright man and hehold the iust for the end of that man is peace that which he desired hee shal enioy a faithfull man shal not be frustrated of his expectatiō nor defeated of that hee hopes for According as the Psalmes sayth The poore man shall not alway be forgotten Psal 31.29 the expectation of the poore shall not perish for euer for that is euer grounded vpon faith and faith is surely grounded vpon Gods promises Dauid was a godly man and dearely beloued of the Lord his God yet he was sore humbled by affliction Ioh. 15.2.1 for euen those branches which are fruitfull God will purge to make them more fruitful Our nature is so rebellious that without sore afflictions it cannot bee tamed and subdued Stones cannot bee squared for Pallace worke without strokes of the hammer gold cannot be purged and prepared for worke without fire neither is corn separated from the chaffe without winde we are Gods corne let vs abide the winde of temptation to clense vs from the chafe of our corruption wee must suffer the fire of afliction that wee may bee fined and made vessels of honour for the house of God and we must be content that the hammer of God strike vpon vs to beat away the prowd lumps that so we may bee squared and made readie like liuely stones to be layd in heauenly Ierusalem By the which examples we may learne to know the will of the Lord and to seeke our helpe and safety at his hands which suffereth his people to bee exercised in the furnace of Egypt not to their vtter destruction but onely to kill the old man with his vain hope and confidence which hee hath in his owne strength this is the cause why God suffereth his people so to be exercised For it is not hearing reading talking or teaching onely which maketh a Christian man but practise is that which is further required in a true Christian That is to say the crosse to plucke downe the flesh and bring it to nothing that man dispairing of his owne strength and seeing no succour in himselfe should resigne himselfe wholy to the Lord looking with patience and hope for helpe at his hands To know this doctrine is one peece of the victory for they that know it not when temptations assayleth them either doe dispayre or seeke other helpes Let vs learne then out of this Psalme that it is the will of God to exercise his Saints with troubles and afflictions Iam. 1.12 Blessed is the man who endureth temptation for when hee is tryed hee shall receiue the Crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them who loue him Therfore this is a necessary conclusion our helpe is in the name of the Lord it is a short sentence but it setteth foorth most worthy doctrine and consolation whereof especially in these latter dayes we haue great need seeing the Pope together with the greatest part of the world so cruelly persecute the doctrine of the Gospel c. In respect of these huge mountaines what are we small mole-hils yea though they were no force nor powe of man for vs to feare how are wee able to stand against not onely so many Diuels but euen the very gates of hell also and yet this experience wee haue of the great mercy and goodnesse of the Lord our God that when we are euen in the hands and neuer so much oppressed yet are we not forsaken but are safe through our confidence and trust in his helpe but to this wisedome it is impossible for vs to attaine without continuall afflictions The fruit of afflictions Whereby it is necessary that the confidence of all worldly succours should be beaten downe for vexation and trouble bringeth vnderstanding as Isaiah sayth whereby we are compelled to cry Helpe Lord for else wee perish So in the last houre when death approcheth there is nothing wherein mans heart can repose it selfe or finde comfort but in the helpe of the Lord there is rest and quietnesse there is perfect peace he that can then say my helpe is in the name of the Lord and lay hold on Iesus Christ by a true and iustifying faith dyeth happily and is out of all danger Thus we may learne what it is to haue and enioy God euen to rest in sure trust of his mercyfull helpe and succour in all dangers these are the words therefore of a triumphing and victorious faith our helpe standeth in the name of the Lord which made heauen and earth as if he sayde the maker of heauen and earth is my God and my helper Ye see whither he flyeth in his great distresse hee dispaireth not but cryeth vnto the Lord as one yet hoping assuredly to finde reliefe and comfort rest thou also in this hope and doe as he did Dauid was not tempted to the end he should dispaire In the temptations of sinne and of the wrath of God what we ought to doe thinke not thou therefore that thy temptations are sent vnto thee that thou shouldest bee swallowed vp with sorrow desparation if thou be brought downe to the very gates of Hell beleeue that the Lord will surely rayse thee vp againe If so thou be bruised and broken know it is the Lord that will helpe thee againe If thy heart be full of sorrow and heauinesse looke for comfort from him who said Psal 51.17 That a troubled Spirit is a Sacrifice vnto him Thus hee setteth the eternall God the Maker of Heauen and Earth against all Troubles and Dangers against the flouds and ouerflowings of all Tentations and swalloweth vp as it were with one breath all the raging furies of the whole World and of Hell it selfe euen as a little drop of water is swallowed vp of a mightie flaming fire and what is the World with all his force and power in respect of him that made Heauen and Earth Let the World fret then let it rage then so that this succour neuer fayle vs and if it be the will of God that wee shall suffer Trouble and Affliction yet in him wee shall ouercome at length Onely happie and sure is the estate of that man who is in Christ neither Life nor Death things present nor things to come shall separate him from the loue of God in Christ Iesus Our helpe standeth in the Name of the Lord which hath made Heauen and Earth Hence I gather this Doctrine That no elect child of God that is truely regenerate and borne anew and a liuely member of Christs mysticall Body can perish and finally fall away Rom. 8.30 For whome hee predestinateth him hee calleth whom
the Oyle of Ioy for Mourning and the Garment of Prayse for the Spirit of Heauinesse Hee that now goeth on his way weeping If now wee mourne not wee shall not reioyce hereafter It is onely Mourners whom God hath marked in the fore-head to saue from the Wrath to come Such a continuall Mourner was Dauid who protests that in the Night hee watered his Couch with teares Psal 6.6 and in the day mingled his Cup therewith Iob. 3.24 And Iob in like manner sayth My sighing comes before my eating The Saints of God are not ashamed to professe that of themselues which the Mockers of this Age esteeme a Womanly affection there is nothing to be found amongst them but eating Luk. 6.25 drinking singing a contracting of one sinne after another with carnall reioycing Matth. 5.4 But woe be vnto them that now laugh for assuredly they shall weepe the end of their ioy shall be endlesse mourning and gnashing of teeth they shall shed teares abundantly with Esau but shall finde no place for mercie Gen. 27.38 And albeit the wicked laugh when the godly weepe and greatly insult when they which feare the Lord grone vnder heauie pressinesse the time will come when the one shall obtaine freedome from calamities and the other be compelled to take their turnes to fall into them Then he that mourned with griefe shall exult with ioy and he that triumphed with gladnesse shall howle with desperate woe and sorrow Let vs therefore goe to the house of Mourning with the godly rather then to the Banqueting house of the wicked reioycing in their sinfull pleasures Maries teares pleaseth Christ better then the Pharisies delicats Luk. 7.38.44 At one time Symon the Pharisie gaue our Sauior a Dynner and Marie who had beene a sinner brought him the Sacrifice of a contrite heart and the Lord esteemed more of her Teares then of the Pharisies Delicates No Banquet pleaseth the Lord Iesus so well as a Banquet of Teares powred from a heart truly penitent The Lord is said to gather the Teares of his Children and keepe them in a Bottle whereby to tell vs that they are precious in his sight For hee is not like the fooles of this world who gather into their Treasures things which are vaine and needlesse But alas how shall hee gather that which we haue not scattered Where are our Teares the Witnesses of our vnfained humiliation before God The deplorable hardnesse of heart in this Age that cannot mourne The hardnesse of heart hath ouer-growne this Age that albeit there bee more then cause yet there is no mourning The sonnes of Cain learned without a Teacher Gen. 4.22 to worke in Brasse and Iron and the wit of Man can make the hardest Mettall soft to receiue an impression but cannot get their owne stonie heart made soft Yea the Children of God finde by experience how hard a thing it is to get a melting heart The Rocke rendred Water when Moses strucke it Num. 20.11 at the second stroke but alas many strokes will our hearts take before they send out the sweet teares of Repentance Seeing wee haue so many causes of sorrow without vs our mourning the troblesome estate of Gods Church Nehemiah 1.4 For herein is our case so much pittifull that hauing matter ynough of Mourning yet wee doe not mourne Without vs should not the troublesome estate of the Church of God be a matter of our griefe though our priuat estate were neuer so peaceable Godly Nehemiah being placed in the honorable seruice of King Artashashte the Monarch of the World was not so much comforted with his owne good estate as grieued at the desolation of Ierusalem Decay of Religion and encrease of Idolatrie made Eliah wearie of this life The Arke of God captiued and the Glory departed from Israel droue all comfort out of the heart of the Wife of Phineas Amos 6.6 These and many moe may teach vs that the affliction of Ioseph should be matter of our sorrow The causes of Mourning within vs are partly our sinnes Causes of mourning within vs our manifold sinnes partly our manyfold tentations As our sinnes are contracted with pleasure so are they dissolued with godly sorrow It is the best Medicine which is most contrarie to the nature of the Disease Our sinne is a Sicknesse wherein there is a carnall delight to doe that which is forbidden and it is cured by Repentance wherein there is a Spirituall displeasure and sorrowing for the euill which wee haue done This mourning for sinne lasteth in the Godly so long as they liue in the Body Rom. 7.24 yea those same sinnes which God hath forgiuen and put out of their affection are still in their remembrance for their humiliaâ—ion So that with good Hezekiâ—h they recount all their dayes and their former sinnes in the bitternesse of their heart So long as sinne remayned in their affection it was the matter of their ioy but now being by grace remooued out of the affection it becomes the matter of their Sorrow And our manyfold Tentations The other cause of our Mourning is our manyfold Tentations For this World is no other thing but a stormie Sea wherein so many contrarie Windes of Tribulation blowes vpon vs that wee can hardly tell which of them to feare On euery side Sathan besets vs with Tentations on the right hand and on the left that the House being shaken at all the foure Corners may fall downe in one part or other No rest nor quietnesse for vs in this Habitation for the which it is best for vs with one aduice to conclude that wee will remoue and in the meane time send vp our Complaint to our Father in Heauen as the Gibeonites did to Ioshua Ioshua 10.6 shewing him how wee are besieged and enuironed for his sake and praying him to come with haste and helpe vs. Which who so doth shall doubtlesse come againe with ioy and bring his sheaues with him as we haue heard This teacheth vs not onely to sigh and mourne for our present miseries but also comforts vs with the hope and expectation of Deliuerance Though in this life wee haue trouble yet haue wee no trouble without comfort Blessed be God 2. Cor. 1.3 4. who comforts vs in all our Tribulation and besides that which wee presently haue it is yet much more which wee looke for The men of this World haue no ioy without sorrow euen in laughter their heart is sorrowfull pretend what they will in their Countenance there is heauinesse in their Conscience arising of the weight of Sinne. But it is farre otherwise with the godly for euen in mourning they doe reioyce and vnder greatest heauinesse they carry a liuely hope of ioyfull deliuerance Alway this difference of estates betweene the godly and the wicked should learne vs patience Let vs not seeke that in the Earth which our gracious Father in his most wise Dispensation hath reserued
readie to goe forward in our Pilgrimage let vs first of all take heede to the Heart for it is the Rudder of the whole Body let vs knit it vnto God by this three-fold Cord whereof I haue spoken so shall our wayes bee ordered aright and wee shall make an happie progresse euery day in that way which leades to eternall Life By Determination wee begin to keepe a good course by Supplication we continue in it by Consideration we see whether we be right or wrong If we be out of the way Consideration warnes vs to returne againe into it Happie is that man in whose life one of these three is alwayes an actor Consideration so necessary that without it no state of our life can be well ordered Therefore Consideration is so necessarie that without it no state of Life can rightly be ordered The Mariner considers his course by his Compasse if hee neglect it hee runneth into remedilesse Dangers The Merchant who aduiseth not his Affaires with his Accompt Booke becommeth quickly a Bankrupt The Pilgrim who hath proposed to himselfe an end of his Iourney considers euery houre whether or no he be in the right way that may bring him to his proposed End and if he see many wayes before him he stands and aduiseth with himselfe which of them hee should chuse neyther will hee goe forward till hee haue by inward consideration resolued what is best How much more should he whose course is to the Kingdome of Heauen consider his wayes and thinke with himselfe that euery way directs not a man to that Ierusalem which is in Heauen Therefore walke on in this way for it is not a way that can bring a man to any desired place but his walking in it And then a man walkes on in this way when first hee neyther goeth backe nor standeth still as vpon Iacobs Ladder the Angels were ascending or descending none stood still and the man being cured of the Palsie is bid Take vp his Bed and walke Hee that goeth not forward here is going backward remember Lots wife and forget not your owne soules So that a Christian man is stil mouing and proceeding in godlinesse forgetting that which is behinde and pressing hard to the marke that is before him And seeing Sathan is most fierce in our end to hinder vs of the Crowne therfore we should be more watchfull and diligent to goe through For if we can labour a while we shall be euer safe neuer feare him any more neuer lose that Crown which the righteous Iudge shall giue vnto vs who loue his appearing So that a godly life leads a man home to Heauen the great Citie of the great King the end of which is rest and glory for euermore Therefore let vs alway bee prepared for it as the good Israelites of God with our Loynes girded vp and our Staues in our hands readie to take our Iourney from Egypt to Canaan whensoeuer the Lord our God shall commaund vs. As Fowles desirous to flye stretch out their Wings so should Men desirous to be with the Lord stretch out their Affections towards the Heauens Abraham sat in the Doore of his Tabernacle Wee should not soiourn in the Body like Ionas in the Ships sides but like Abraham in the dore of the Tabernacle Exo. 12.11 Gen. 18.1 â— Kin. 19.9 when the Angell appeared vnto him Eliah came out to the mouth of the Caue when the Lord appeared vnto him And in like manner wee must all reioyce to come out of the Caue and Tabernacle of this wretched Body if wee would meete with the Lord yea euen while as wee dwell in the Body if in our affection wee come not out and stand as it were in the doore of our Tabernacle but like Ionas Ionas 1.5 sleeping in the sides of the Ship wee lye downe in the hollow of our heart sleeping in carelesse securitie it is not possible that the Lord can be familiar with vs. Happie were wee if such affection were in vs toward the Word of God as heere was in Dauid So should wee finde that manyfold comfort in it which hee found What comfort wee should find in it if our affection to arâ—s it were like Dauids to the reioycing of his heart If wee receiue it when wee heare it with a liuely Faith it shall be to vs what euer wee desire If wee be in Trouble it shall be to vs a word of Consolation If wee be in Ioy it shall augment our Ioy. Certainely if we knew it we would be more delighted with it it is the Seede of our New Birth it is the Foode that conserues an immortall Life in vs it is a preseruatiue against all Euill it is the Restoratiue of our Soules in all Diseases it is the Staffe of our Infirmities it is our Armour against our Enemies it is the Light of our Eyes euen that Day-starre that shineth in Darkenesse If wee walke in the Light thereof it shall leade vs to the bright-shining Sunne of Righteousnesse Christ Iesus The Conclusion LEt vs therefore suffer our selues to be guided by him who is infinitely wiser then we and loueth vs better then wee loue our selues and let vs receiue this fauour of God that so seruing his glory our glory may also be aduanced Let vs not be troubled nor shaken with feare when wee see the Persecutors come to the end of their Enterprises and the Children of God afflicted That is to them sayth Saint Paul a manifest token of Destruction Philip. 1.28 and to vs of Saluation Augustine There is no greater Curse sayth Saint Augustine then the prosperitie of the Wicked because it is a strong Wine to make them drunke in their Iniquities and to make a heape and treasure as it were of the Wrath of God vpon them It seemeth to vs that the World goeth to confusion and disorder when the Wicked triumph and the Children of God weepe but on the contrary that is to vs a manifest token of the iust Iudgement of God as S. Paul sayth 2. Thes 1.5 that we are also made worthie of the Kingdome of God for which also we suffer For it is a iust thing sayth he with God to render Afflictions to those that afflict vs. And to vs that are afflicted deliuerance then when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from Heauen with the Angels of his Power and with a flame of Fire to doe vengeance vpon those that did not know God and obeyed not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ the which shall bee punished with an euerlasting Punishment from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his Power when hee shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made wonderfull among all the Faithfull Wee are so impatient so hot or so foolish that wee consider nothing but the beginning of the Worke of our God but wee must ioyne them together and consider the accomplishment of them as Saint Iames teacheth vs. Yee
and if you will goe through all the examples of the Booke of GOD yee shall finde that they who haue beene greatest in Gods estimation haue beene alwaies smallest in their owne eyes the heart which hath receiued most from GOD euer thinks least of it selfe The deepe waters of the proude haue gone euen ouer our soule Thus Dauid setteth out the afflictions and calamities of the Church and of the godly whom the world doth not onely hate but cruelly persecute whereby wee may see that it hath not onely a greedy desire but also power to hurt murther and destroy Sathan likewise goeth about like a raging Lyon seeking whom hee may deuoure that we fall not therefore euery moment into desperation or otherwise perish it is because hee is greater which is in vs then he which is in the world as Dauid saith If God had not beene with vs our enemies had swallowed vs vp quicke A proud man his owne punishment But here is the iust recompence of his pride Let the proud bee ashamed saith Dauid He would faine haue honour or preheminence which God wil not giue vnto him he flyes shame and contempt but God shall powre them vpon him The consideration of this serues to humble the pride of man Sith they are but men of clay why waxe they proud to oppresse others It was a very worthy warning which a certaine Ambassadour gaue once to Alexander the Great That flyes and wormes at length should eate the flesh of Lyons If proud men considered this that they are but earth and that shortly their beautifull bodyes will become carkasses to bee eaten by wormes it would abate their naturall pride by which they trample dowme others poorer weaker then they vnder their feete and when they shall goe the way of all flesh they shall then say What hath pride profited vs 2. Cor. 10. and what hath the pompe of riches brought vs to When they shall see that all the dayes of their life they haue wearied themselues in vaine and then shall be plunged into irreuocable and intollerable torments These are fooles The miserable condition of a proud man and of all fooles the greatest they set themselues as parties against the Lord for hee resisteth the proud not considering that hee is stronger then they and they cannot stand before him the Lord is the most high God but it is not height makes a man stand before him none so sure to stand in his sight as they who are humble and little in their owne eyes to them hee giueth grace where it is the iust recompence of the proud that because they vsurpe to bee before all others the Lord puts them behinde all and casteth them downe to the lowest roome for mounting to the highest A notable example hereof wee haue in that Pharesie who was not so farre before the Publican in his owne estimation as hee was behinde him in the account of Christ who iudgeth of things according as they are Here then wee must put a difference betweene sinnes of pride and sinnes of infirmitie hee that of rebellion and pride departs from Gods Commandements not so hee that sinneth of weaknesse in whom euery sinne committed increaseth a griefe for sinne a hatred of sin and a care to withstand it for to these there is no condemnation these are not vnder the Law but vnder Grace mercy alwayes waits on them as a refreshing Medicine to restore them when of infirmitie they fall But as for the wicked who sinne are proud impenitent in their sins the curse of God is vpon them though it be not seene at the first but like a moath or secret consumption it eates them vp it shall deuoure their substance and shall quickly turne their glory and prosperity into shame and confusion First let vs therefore consider and that seriously that all worldly pompe all thy brauery thy gay attyre and all thy vaunting of it in the world Eccles 1.2 all is but vanitie vanitie of vanities all is but vanitie This was the foot of Salomons saying who knew too much of this by experience and no question but the like conclusion a number of proud Gallants make in the world who haue delighted to see and follow fashions so long till all is spent and then hauing nothing cry out when it is too late All is but vanity and vexation of spirit and a most vaine thing to vaunt it so in pride therefore let vs lay this to heart 1. Cor. 7.31 that the time is short and the fashion of this world passeth away See this vanitie and it will abate thy pride Secondly learne to know thy selfe throughly remember thou art but a man therefore mortall frayle flesh thy body an house of clay why then wilt thou O vaine and mortal man bestow so much cost vpon thy rotten carkasse and pamper it vp in iollitie and in the meane time neglect thy soule Remember whosoeuer thou art of what degree soeuer that of Dauid Lord what is man or the sonne of man as if hee should haue sayd Lord man is nothing yea vanitie it selfe and lesse then nothing as Dauid speaketh elsewhere Yea remember with thy selfe that it is not all thy pride shall make thee to be respected but rather ridiculous to the world and in the ende breede sorrow to thy selfe In a word remember the saying of the Prophet Esay Esay 2.22 Mans breath is in his nostrils and wherein is hee to bee accounted of As if the Prophet had answered In nothing Obiection But I doe but as the most doe who follow the fashion Exod. 23.2 Answere Thou must not follow a multitude to doe euill Now it is a great euill and a grieuous sinne to bee giuen ouer to follow fashions it being expresly forbidden in the Word of God Be not conformed to this world Rom. 12.28 or Fashion not your selues according to this world Therefore to conclude Pride is a most accursed and damnable sinne Esay 28.13 Woe to the crowne of pride it shall be troden vnder feete Psa 119.21 Cursed are the proud Pro. 16.18 Pride goeth before destruction Pro. 18.12 and a haughtie spirit before a fall Esay 5.14 Before destruction the heart of man is haughtie their glory and their pompe shall descend into hell Reade Woe vnto them that are wise in their owne eies Dan. 4.30 to 37. vers 21. Psal 124.4 Gen. 19.24 Ezek. 16.49 50. Reuel 18.4 5 6 7 c. Esay 10.5 to 20. and 13.11 and prudent in their owne sight Remember how wonderfully Sodome Babylon and Tyrus came downe for their pride The Deuil throwne downe from heauen to hell for his pride in all which is set downe the terrible iudgements of God against pride Let women read with shame Esay 3.16 to the end I meane the proud Fizgigs of this age who decke and trimme the body beyond their calling and abilitie Reade Ier. 44.10.11 12 where as the Apostle would haue
humbled and beginnes to looke to the Lord. Israel learned not to mourne vntill they were sent to Babell Ionas 1.5 Ionas sleepes in the shippe but wakes and prayes in the Whales belly Blessed is the man whom the Lord correcteth therefore refuse not the chastisement of the Almightie for tribulation bringeth foorth patience patience experience Rom. 5.4 5. experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed Thus our life lyeth open alwayes to the snares of Sathan and wee as silly byrdes are like at euery moment to bee carryed away notwithstanding the Lord maketh a way for vs to escape yea when Sathan seemeth to bee most sure of vs by the mighty power of God the snares are broken and wee are deliuered experience hereof wee haue in those which are inwardly afflicted and with heauinesse of spirite grieuously oppressed that when they seeme to bee in vtter dispayre and ready now as you would say to perish yet euen at the last pinch and in the vttermost extremitie commeth the sweete comfort of Gods holy Spirit and rayseth them vp againe when we are most ready to perish then is God most readie to helpe Psal 94.17 Except the Lord had holpen mee sayth Dauid my soule had almost dwelt in silence The vse of this is to comfort the children of God who are often discouraged with the sense and feeling of their owne wants it is one of Sathans stratagems to try those by the rule of perfection who are yet in the state of proficients and wee had neede to beware of it Shall I giue that vantage to the aduersary as to thinke I haue no faith because it is but in a beginning or I haue no loue because it is little No but I will so hunger and thirst for more grace that I will still giue thanks for the grace I haue receyued for here wee haue no fulnesse our greatest measures is as the first fruites in respect of that which is to come One the other side because euery comfort which is giuen to the godly is turnd by profane contemners and workers into an occasion and nourishment of sinne This comfort vainely abused by profane men they are to know this comfort belongs not vnto them it is a common thing to them to excuse the want of grace O it is but a small grace which in this life is communicated to the best and they thinke their sinnes are well enough couered by this that all men are sinners as if there were no difference betweene sinne tyrannizing in the wicked and captiued in the godly or as beginning of grace in the regenerate did not separate them in regard of conuersation from the vnregenerate who are voyd of all grace Let vs therefore know that the Spirit of God whom the godly receiue is not onely called the first the earnest and the witnesse of God but also the seale and signet of the liuing God As the seale leaueth in the Waxe the similitude and impression of the forme which is it selfe so the spirite of God communicateth his owne image to all those to whom he seales against the day of redemption hee makes them new and holy creatures and this conuinceth carnall professors of a lye who say they haue receiued the first fruits of the spirite notwithstanding that their workes bee wicked and vncleane they may rather if they would tell the truth say as those who beeing demaunded whether they had receiued the holy Ghost or no answered Act. 19.2 Wee know not whether there bee an holy Ghost or no so may they instead of bragging of the first fruites of the spirite say in truth wee know not what yee call the first fruite of the Spirits Why the Lord giues vs not in this life the principall as well as the earnest And thirdly out of this description wee may gather that albeit wee haue no more but the first fruites of the Spirite yet are they sufficient to assure vs that hereafter wee shall enioy the whole masse in two respects It is accustomable to men to giue an earnest penny in buying and selling either when the summe is greater then they are able to pay for the present or when the thing bought is of that nature that it cannot presently bee deliuered but betweene the Lord and vs there is no buying nor selling hee giueth freely vnto vs both the Earnest and the Principall but first the one and then the other Not that the Lord is vnable to pay presently all that hee hath promised but because the Principall is of that nature that it cannot bee receiued till wee bee prepared for it 2. Tim. 2.6 As the Husbandman must sowe and tarrie with patience till the Haruest come as the VVarriour must fight before hee obtayne the Victorie and the Wrastler receiues not his Crowne till he haue ouercome neyther doth hee that runnes a Race obtayne the Prize till hee haue finished it So must the Christian bee exercised in all these before that the Lord possesse him in the promised Kingdome of his Sonne Christ Iesus Christs meÌ„bers militaÌ„t and triumphant are not to be tried by one Rule And this againe doe we marke for the comfort of the weake conscience it is Sathans subtletie whereby commonly hee disquiets many that because carnall corruption is in them hee would therefore beare them in hand that they are none of Christs in this hee playes the Deceiuer hee tryes vs by the wrong rule when hee tryes vs by the rule of perfect sanctification this is the square that ought to be layd to Christs members triumphant in Heauen and not to those who are militant here on Earth Sinne remayning in mee will not prooue that therefore I am not in Christ otherwise Christ should haue no members vpon Earth but Grace working that new disposition which Nature could neuer effect prooues vndoubtedly that we are in Christ Iesus Let this therefore be our comfort There is fleshly corruption in the Christian militant but he followes it nâ—â— That albeit there be in vs a fleshly corruption yet thankes be to God we walke not after it that is wee follow not willingly the direction and commaundement thereof It is true and alas wee finde it by experience that the regenerate man may be led captiue for a time to the Law of Sinne hee may be pulled perforce out of the way of Gods Commandements wherein hee delights to walke and compelled to doe those thinges which hee would not Yet euen at that same time hee disclaymes the gouernment of the Flesh mourning and lamenting within himselfe that hee should bee drawne from the obedience of his owne Lord and Gouernour the Spirit Iesus 〈◊〉 seruice 〈◊〉 Christiâ—◠〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 is â—hrowâ—e not by Oppression like that Israel gaue to Pharoah Exod. 56. And indeede it is worthie to be marked That what euer seruice the regenerate man giues vnto Sinne it is like the seruice that Israel gaue to Pharoah in Egypt throwne out by Oppression and therefore
them as wee may see most apparently Where it is sayd Mat. 25.32 that he will gather all nations before him and that he will separate them one from another as a Sheapheard separates the sheepe from the Goates sending some to hell and carrying others with him into heauen Let vs then neuer feare in any perill or danger whatsoeuer whether of war famine plague or the like lest wee should perish with the wicked hand ouer head we see he hath a care of his own and what he will doe he can doe if it be good for vs to escape these worldly woes we are assured wee shall as we are sure we liue And if otherwise it please him to wrap vs with others in the outward punishment yet shall we euer bee sure to be distinguished from them in the eternall payne and those outward griefes shall bee but meanes to leade vs to euerlasting ioyes Now therefore saith he like as mount Sion or our holy city Ierusalem is neuer moued but remaineth sure and safe by the mighty protection of the Lord in all extremities so he that trusteth in the Lord shall be defended against the furious rage of the world and the gates of hell for euer pronouncing this to bee chiefest anchor of our saluation onely to hope and trust in the Lord To hope and trust in the Lord is the greatest seruice that we can doe to him and that is the greatest seruice that wee can doe vnto God for this is the nature of God as I haue sayd to create all things of nothing therefore hee createth and bringeth forth in death life in darknes light this to beleeue is the very nature and most speciall property of faith when God then seeth such a one as agreeth with his owne nature that is which beleeueth to finde in danger helpe in pouerty riches in sinne righteousnesse and that for Gods owne mercies sake in Iesus Christ alone The nature of faith him can God neither hate nor forsake for he worshippeth God truely which putteth his whole trust in the mercy of God With this seruice God is highly pleased because he delighteth of nothing to make something so hee made the world of nothing so hee raysed the dead who so then consenteth to Gods nature and obeyeth his will there hoping for something where nothing is he it is that pleaseth God and shall neuer be remoued That is they shall neuer be remoued from Gods fauour they shall neuer bee remoued from the constant graces of the spirit in their soules or hurtfully in the way of a curse frō outward good estate nor vnseasonably bee cut off from the earth Now because some of these iudgments seeme sometimes to fall on some righteous persons who for a season being separated from the comfortable sight of Gods kindnes and fauor towards them and their estate in appearence is wholly ruinated Therfore the word doth well beare it agreeing with that of Salomon that the righteous shall not be remoued for euer though they seeme to be cast downe for a time yet they shall be restored againe Therfore godly men must needs be in safety because they be Gods childrē whō he in Christ hath begotten to himself by the immortall seed of the word Wee see here the constancy of Gods children The constancy of Gods children no winde of tempration can remoue or ouerthrow them they are like rockes in the sea enduring euery waue like trees planted by the riuer side Gods owne plantation they may be shaken but not ouerturned they abide rooted and stablished by the Lord such is the nature of faith that it carryeth vs out of our selues into the Lord and makes vs leane vpon him rest in him and liue in him They who abide in themselues resting in any thing that is in them either wisedome strength or merits shall be found to haue built their house on the sand which will not continue but such as goe out of themselues and trust in the Lord haue built their house on the rocke that shall neuer faile them Therfore cleaue ye fast vnto him and feare not be of good comfort though others be cursed yet you shal be blessed for you see the difference of being religious and being prophane of louing Christ loathing him this difference here will make a fearefull difference in the world to come when no man can helpe it had he the treasures of all the earth to purchase his ease with all and therefore remember your selues betimes turne to the Lord with all your hearts serue him in holines righteousnes all the dayes of your liues that so you may be blessed both here in this world and in the world to come First this may seeme to reproue that cursed yet common opinion of the world namely that of all men the godly man is most miserable We see here the Lord himselfe doth proclaime from heauen that he accounteth the godly man and him that trusts in the Lord a blessed and happy man but yet the world that is the wicked men in the world iudge and deeme the godly man wretched and miserable such a man as truely feareth God hates all iniquitie disliketh lewd company makes conscience of good duties as to pray in his family to instruct his seruants and children is diligent and carefull to frequent Sermons this man is an Owle among Birds whooted at and poynted at and of all men he most contemned But as Paul sayth thus it must bee We are brought vpon the Stage wee are made a gazing-stocke to wicked men and accounted as dung for Christs sake Secondly this may serue to stop their mouthes that say and thinke it is in vaine to serue the Lord that it is lost labour to bee religious that there is no good got by hearing of Sermons and leading of a godly life it is and euer hath beene the cursed thoughts of mans heart to thinke so as in the time of the Prophet Malachy Mal. 3.14 It is lost labour to serue the Lord and what good comes there by seruing of God So in these dayes it is cleare men thinke it is in vayne to bee religious to liue godly and in all thinges to labour to keepe fayth and a good conscience before God and men But it is manifest here that it is not in vaine to serue God nay it is that alone that bringeth a man to happinesse and true comfort here and eternall measure of glory in the world to come withall this may serue to cōfort euery child of God against all the discouragements of the world by Satan his cursed instruments Namely that whatsoeuer thy estate be Heb. 11.24.12.23 Psal 125. verse 1. neuer so poore in this world and subiect to neuer so many afflictions yet if thou be a godly man certainely then thou art blessed thou that art in Gods fauor thou that art reconciled to God in Iesus Christ and hast thy sins pardoned eternall life belongs vnto
vexation of spirite there is a short abridgement of our life Iob 6.4 Man commeth into vanitie and goeth into darkenesse it is no better if wee do no more but follow the course of nature Let vs therefore goe aboue the Sunne seeke rest ioy and contentment in our God in whom onely it is to be found As for such as turne backe vnto their owne wickednesse the Lord shall leade them forth with the euill doers but peace shall be vpon Israel There hath beene of this sort of men euer since the Apostles time which hath corrupted the Church and with a shew of holynesse deceiued the simple which because God punisheth them not but spareth them and suffereth them to prosper in this world become so proud that they will be counted amongst the holiest and of the world are so commonly taken Wee see that not onely the godly are mixed with the wicked in this world but in the Lords floore also the wheat lyeth hidden vnder the chaffe Wee must pray therefore that God would bring these Hypocrites to light and giue vnto them their iust punishment with the workers of iniquitie then shall peace ensue to the Church of God for whiles the Lord powreth forth his iust vengeance vpon the wicked which vex and persecute his true members he gathereth together the good and vpright of heart and openly declareth his fatherly good will and tender loue towards them This doctrine serues to let many men see their folly they hope to be saued and make full account when they die to goe to God but yet shall neuer come there because they are not in the wayes of God If a man should say he would goe from Yorke to London yet shall hold the direct way to Barwicke would not euery man laugh at him so is it with him that walkes in the path of perdition and yet saith he will come to Heauen Aske them what way they walke in and they must needs giue themselues the lye if they say it is Gods way And in this conceit thousands are deceiued and slip into their place before they would or be aware First Many by-wayes beaten by many some walke in the blind way of Ignorance a darke and vncomfortable Way as Men walking in the night in which is no safetie nor direction numbers care not for the Lanthorne of the Word and walking in the night know not whither they goe nor where they shall lodge Aske Papists what way they are in Oh they are in the way of Catholikes in the way wherein the Martyrs and Confessors died in the way of their Fore-fathers what way soeuer it be And I would this Ignorance were among them onely but alas it is the way of too many who professe the Light Secondly some walke in the crosse wayes of Superstition and mens Deuices as many of our people who thinke Common prayers better in Lent then all the yeere after and some can be deuout on high dayes and come to Church but other dayes Gods Seruice is not so effected And some receiue the Sacrament at Easter and they were damned if they did not but all the yeere besides the Sacrament hath no sweetnesse These are superstitious wayes whereas Gods wayes are the same and to be walked in with the same affection Thirdly some goe in the crooked wayes of Humane Reason Will Policie and Affections and cannot yeeld to the Wisdome of God their owne Lusts are their Lawes who should controll them Here is an infinite number of Rodes all of them full of wanderers from God whereas Gods way is but one and of Gods describing cleane contrary to mans corrupt Reason Will Affections and Conuersation Fourthly some goe in the detestable and damnable wayes of wilfull spurning against the truth 2. Pet. 2.2 Many shall follow their damnable wayes by whom the way of truth shall be euill spoken of Is it not damnable ynough for men to walke on in the wayes of damnation themselues vnlesse they rayle at the way of truth and life Fiftly some walke in the filthie myrie wayes of voluptuousnesse profanenesse as foule Fornicators Drunkards Gamesters Gluttons Epicures daintie and delicate persons who seeme to be made for nothing but idlenes effeminate care of their skin fruition of their owne sensuality appetite to such Salomon speaketh in the person of the yong man Walke in the sight of thine eyes and in the lusts of thine heart but know that for all this thou must come to Iudgement Lastly numbers walke in the rugged stonie thornie and clayie wayes of Earthlinesse Couetousnesse Vsurie and Oppression setting themselues fast in the gall and guile of earthly-mindednesse not hauing power ouer themselues to stirre hand or foot to Heauen-ward Where their Treasure is there haue they locked vp their hearts too or rather burying them for so they may being dead in the earth and earthly desires the Heauen that they wish for they haue what then care they for any way that leads to another First wee learne hence that in our Christian conuersation there should be a continuall progresse in godlinesse For as in walking saith Basil the steppes of the feet by a mutuall strife among themselues are changed in such sort that the foot which now is hindmost is formost next continuing alway this motion till we come to the place of our rest so should there be in the Christian such a continuall promoouing of his heart toward God that thâ— affection which this day is behind coldest in the loue of God slowest to obey him should the next day be made formost Bern. For in this life nothing standeth in one state it is most certaine that hee that goes not forward goes backward Yet I would not so be vnderstood as if the Christian had not his owne fainting and falling in the way of godlinesse yet blessed be God who keepes our Soules in life wee so faint that wee reviue we so fall that wee rise againe of our former Follies wee learne to bee wise of the experience of our weakenesse wee gather strength we walke then more warily because so oft we haue stumbled and fallen of our sinnes we make vantage he who is truly penitent walkes alway in sorrow and feare because hee hath fallen so oft in feare least hee should fall againe Secondly What to be done in our fals let vs be circumspect both to preuent and recouer our selues out of our fals in this way by reason of Sathans fierce temptations the weaknesse of grace the frailtie of the flesh Many are the fals and knocks of the best Psal 19.12 In many things we sinne all saith S. Iames and who knoweth his errors Now if we will preuent these we must beware of occasions of sinne as a traueller steps ouer stones rubs in his way Eue preuented not the occasion of her fall when shee entred talke with the Serpent Wee must make a couenant with our eies not to looke vpon a Woman nor on
Spirit of Grace the Spirit of Prayer that is with the redemption which was wrought by Christ the prayer of the faithfull and of the redeemed for although our redemption be fully wrought and we redeemed by the bloud of the Sonne of God yet it is necessarie that we should pray for this redemption as Christ also in his Prayer commands vs to doe that Gods Name may be sanctified Mat. 6. Which notwithstanding we know to be holy and sanctified alreadie That the Kingdome of God may come which is come and is within vs alreadie Also Christ sayth Father glorifie thy Name and the Father answered I haue glorified it and I will glorifie it againe Also Saint Paul sayth I count not my selfe to haue attained vnto it c. hee meaneth the fulnesse of the knowledge of Christ and perfect taste of the power of his Resurrection This is it which I touched before that this benefit of the Gospell this inestimable gift of our Redemption and Life euerlasting is easie to be vttered with words but most hard to be beleeued with the heart For wee haue in this life not the Tenths Rom. 8.23 but the first fruits of the Spirit but the flesh liueth fully and wholly in a manner strong and lustie True it is that wee haue entred one foot into the Kingdome of God and haue thereby obtayned the assurance of the Promise Thess 4.1 but wee must not there rest wee must draw the other foot after that is wee must continually encrease and goe forward in the knowledge of Grace and of Faith And for this cause the Prophet Zacharie sayth That the Spirit of Prayer is powred forth vpon vs which Spirit requireth this encrease in vs. And S. Paul sayth Rom. 8.22 That the Spirit sigheth with sighes that cannot be expressed yea and that euery creature also groaneth for the deliuerance of the Children of God Wherefore whilest wee are in this Body which presseth vs downe as a heauie Burthen and hindereth vs that wee cannot fully apprehend these things wee haue not onely the Spirit of Grace but the Spirit of Prayer also that we might be assured of the grace and good will of God towards vs for Christs sake in whom we beleeue and yet should not cease to pray that God would make perfect in vs that hee hath begun Sathan neuer ceaseth to assayle our Faith Hope and other Vertues which God hath planted in vs. Sathans prerogatiue And this prerogatiue hath Sathan because the Grace which is begun in vs is not yet perfect therefore he fighteth so busily against these beginnings fearing lest they should come to perfection Such is the life of Christians which haue already receiued the first fruits of the Spirit who by experience doe learne that these things cannot be fully apprehended but that in the meane while they shall oftentimes slip yea and sometimes dangerously fall so that the sparke of Faith and of the Spirit may seeme in them to be vtterly quenched As it happened to Dauid in his Adulterie 2. Sam. 11. wherein they haue need of helpe to rayse them vp againe as Christ answered to Paul My power is made perfect in infirmitie The infirmitie is theirs and remayneth theirs whilest they liue but the power and strength is Christs alone one dramme of the grace of Christ in the soule of a Christian makes him more precious in the eyes of God then any remnant-corruption in him can make him odious Therefore is it that the Lord giues vnto them the Names of his Beloued his Seruants his Sonnes his Saints who are so onely in part Both these are true Those that are borne of God sinneth not and againe If wee say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues the one wee haue of the fruits of the New Man the other of the remnants of the Old Man Let vs therefore be continually displeased with our inhabitant Corruption that wee despaire not nor be discouraged neither let vs so complaine of our Sinnes that we become false witnesses against the grace of God which is in vs. If there were nothing in vs but that we haue by nature our state were most miserable but seeing besides nature there is in vs a new workemanship of grace frō which the Lord accoūts vs new and spirituall men we haue God be thanked matter of cōfort Let vs yet further consider This testimonie of the Spirit is not alwayes perceiued in a like measure of them that haue it that this testimonie of the Spirit is not all times enioyed in a like measure for that were to enioy Heauen vpon Earth The Lord doth therfore in such sort suspence it that sometimes he lets his children feele it for their consolation and againe withdrawes it from them for their humiliation When they feele it they so abound in ioy that all the terror and threatnings of Sathan all his promises and allurements are despised of them and trodden vnder their feet they sing within themselues that glorious Triumph of the Apostle Rom. 8.32 Who shall seperate vs from the loue of God But this ioy proceeding from the fulnesse of Faith continueth not the voyce of the Spirit of Adoption waxing somewhat more silent feares and doubts succeeds in that same heart which before abounded in ioy And if hereby the weake Conscience be cast downe remember that the more thou art displeased with thy selfe the more thy Lord is pleased with thee for thy dayly pollutions hee hath appointed daily washings in that fountaine which he hath opened to the house of Dauid for sinne and for vncleannesse sweepe out thy sinnes euery day by the beesome of holy anger and reuenge Cyprian and water the house of thy heart with the teares of contrition seeing we cannot be without some wounds of Conscience let vs daily goe to the next remedie that with spirituall medicines wee may cure them Chastising our selues euery morning and examining our selues vpon our bed in the euening The first fruits of our heart and tongue euery morning should be offered to God And remember O man that thou owest euery day the first fruits of thy heart and tongue to the Lord our God shouldst thou thinke of any thing before that first thou remember him in the morning or should thy tongue speake of any thing before the first fruits of thy speech be offered vnto him by Prayer and praysing of his holy Name Thus we see the great necessitie of prayse and how it ought to be continually vsed among the faithfull if not with the mouth yet with the heart and heartie sighes vnto God according to the words of S. Paul Colo. 3.16 Let the word of God dwell in you plentiously Signifying that they ought to be continually exercised therein not onely by teaching the same to others publikely and priuatly but also by earnest Meditation and Prayer when they sit at home in their houses when they walke by the way when they lye downe and when they
with fearefull Agonies of Conscience let vs looke vnto God who kills and makes aliue who casteth downe and rayseth vp Let vs for a while beare his indignation he abides but a moment in his anger if we find that by them wee are more humbled wakened out of securitie and stirred vp more feruently to pray and that the life of Sinne is weakened in vs let vs be out of all doubt that these inward Troubles are Sufferings with Christ Luk. 22.44 whose Soule for our sinnes was heauie vnto the death and his Body did sweat bloud through the vehement anguish of his Spirit And as for outward Sufferings Comfort against outward afflictions which we suffer they are either such as concernes our Name our Goods or our Persons As for those which concerne our Name it is a singular pollicie of Sathan to beare downe the children of God in the estimation of others that they who are glorious in the light of their owne Conscience may be made filthie by the false reports of others and so made vnprofitable to doe others the good that they would But let vs in such tentations learne from Dauid to looke vnto God 2. Sam. 16.1 and not to Shimei vsing the vndeserued Contumelies of Men as profitable meanes to worke in vs that inward humiliation which our manifold sinnes though not against Man yet against God requireth of vs. So shall we suffer with him who being the innocent Lambe of God sustained neuerthelesse great contradiction of Sinners reproched to be one possessed with a Deuill notwithstanding that hee was the very Sonne of God filled in his Manhood with the Holy-Ghost For sometime they accuse them publikely and in Iudgement Laban searched narrowly Iacobs Stuffe to see if he could get any thing wherewith to charge him but more narrowly doe Worldlings search the words and deeds of the Christian seeking whereupon to accuse them and where they can find none yet vpon shadowes of euill they seeke to disgrace them Moses a man approued of God yet accused as an Vsurper Ieremy the Prophet albeit he so loued his Countrey people that in secret his Soule mourned for their desolation yet did they accuse him of Treason alledging that he had made defection to the King of Babel Daniel a man beloued of God accused and condemned of Darius his Councellors as a Rebell to the King The Israelites who returned from Captiuity accused by Toby Sanballat of Sedition The Christians of the primitiue Church oppressed with horrible Slanders The first Weapon wherwith Sathan fights against the godly is the tongues of the wicked for hee looseth their tongues to speake euill before hee loose their hands to doe euill to thē Therfore said Augustine Augustine The tongue of the wicked is a dayly Furnace wherein the godly are tryed Let no man thinke to serue God in a good conscience but he must be purged in this Ouē Ye are not of the world saith our Sauiour therefore it is that the world doth hate you and speake euill of you Ioh. 15 19. And as for their priuate Surmisings Sometime they speake euill of thē priuately and that either maliciously charging them with sinnes they haue done but haue repented they are of two sorts sometime they charge Gods children with euil which they haue done indeede but whereof they haue repented them And herein they are malicious that the sinnes which God hath forgiuen they will not forget But this should not prouoke vs to impatience seeing they blame vs for nothing for which we blame not our selues Why shall wee be commoued Let vs not thinke shame to say with the Apostle It is true I was such a one but now I am receiued to mercy Augustine I will not so loue my selfe that I will hate him that reprooues me for that which I haue reprooued in my selfe of whatsoeuer mind hee doe it but looke how farre he accuseth my fault so farre will I prayse my Physician who healed me Sometimes againe their surmisings are most false Or else falsly charging them with things they neuer did they charge vs with things which wee neuer did but these backe-bitings should bee disdained of vs like the barking of beasts Who knowes with Iob that his witnesse is in heauen and can say with the Apostle that he hath a good conscience within him what needs he to care for the iudgement of men without him for God will not faile in due time to cleere their innocency according to his promise in the Psalmes saying Commit thy way vnto the Lord trust in him and hee shall bring it to passe he shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy iust dealing as the noone day Iudge therefore of thy selfe and others with a righteous iudgement if heauen approue thee care not if earth cast thee out if God iustifie who can condemne if Christ will confesse thee let thy friends deny thee thou hast a sure word and promise of God by which thou mayest apprehend in sorrow ioy in trouble peace in nothing all things in death it selfe life eternall Get faith and thou shalt clearely behold thy happinesse if all the world should set it selfe to make thee miserable get faith and thou shalt thinke him onely happy whom God so esteemes although the world do disesteeme thee Let not therefore the detracting speeches of men interrupt our peace No speech of man can make vs any other thing then that which we are Mat. 5.11 remembring their tongues can make vs no other thing then we are it is the fanne of the floore of the Lord that can separate the chaffe from the Corne. Secondly their euill speaking commends vs to God blessed are yee when men reuile you and speake all manner of euill of you for my sake be glad and reioyce for great is your reward in heauen Augustine Wtih this meditation did Augustine confirme himselfe against the detractions of his aduersarie who sought to empaire the credite of his name hee that willingly would empaire my name against his will encreaseth my reward And Dauid gloryeth in this that the rebukes of them who rebuked the Lord had fallen vpon him I haue spoken the more of this purposely partly because it is a common craft of Sathan to oppresse good men with misse reports and partly because our weakenesse is easily ouercome with this temptation seeing the Lord wil◠haue vs to sustaine the strife of tongues let vs then strengthen our selues Let vs so walke through good report that we be not puft vp and through euill report that we be not cast downe but that by weapons of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left wee may ouercome Miserable are those who band their tongs to speake against the godly Miserable therefore must they be who bend their tongs to speake against the godly and them whom the Lord approues of That rebuke which the Prophet gaue to Iehosaphat when hee went out to helpe
he turned Water into Wine so in the other will hee turne all sorrow into ioy To haue ioy without griefe is the condition of them who are glorified in Heauen to haue griefe without ioy is the condition of them who are damned in Hell I meane to bee without sence and hope of ioy but the godly on earth haue their ioy mixed with griefe and griefe tempered with ioy and albeit sometimes they want the sence of ioy yet doe they neuer want all hope and expectation of ioy They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Reasons mouing vs to mourning And to moue vs yet more to this mourning disposition let vs consider two things the euill we incurre if we mourne not and the good that shall ensue to vs if we mourne for the sinnes of others As for the first amongst many wayes whereby the sinnes of other men become ours If wee mourne not for other mens sinnes they become ours 1. Cor. 5.1 2 3 4 5. this is also one if we know their iniquities and bee not grieued therewith And therefore are the Corinthians reproued that they sorrowed not for the incestuous man that was among them by so doing they were defiled by his sinne and became one polluted Lumpe with him Ezek. 9. all the chapter And Ezekiel not onely in Iudgement determined vpon the committers of sinne but of such also as mourned not for sinne They are inuolued in the same Iudgement as partakers of the same sinnes by reason that they mourned not for them And as for the great good wee get by mourning for the sinnes of the Wicked If wee mourne many blessings follow it Matth. 5.4 whereby they dishonour the Lord our God it is also euident Blessed sayth our Sauiour are they that mourne for they shall be comforted When the Heauen waters the Earth in due season there followeth a fruitfull encrease but when the Earth waters the Heauen then shall follow a more plentifull Haruest of spirituall Comfort And this is done when a sinner powres the teares of his penitent Heart into the Bosome of God Then the Heauens are vvatered by the Earth For the teares of the godly fall not to the ground but the Lord gathereth them like most precious pearles vnto him and puts them in his bottle and they bring still increase of comfort to such as shed them They are sowne like good Seed on earth the first fruit whereof is reaped on earth but the fulnesse thereof in Heauen In trouble it is expedient to looke vnto the end thereof Worldlings wrestle for their corruptible Crowne as vncertaine whether they shall obtaine it or no but it is not so with the Christian we runne not as vncertaine we are sure Rom. 8.17 that if wee suffer with Christ Heb. 12.11 wee shall also reigne with him Though for the present no trouble be sweet yet is the end thereof most comfortable and wee are by the eyes of Faith to looke vnto it lest our present manifold Tentations driue vs to impatience For as hee that goeth through a strong running Water is in danger to fall and to be drowned by reason of the dizzinesse of his Head or Braine vnlesse hee fixe his Eyes vpon the Bankes euen so shall wee be readie to faint in Affliction vnlesse wee looke to the comfortable end thereof If wee shall looke to Lazarus vpon the Dunghill and Ioseph in the Prison what can we iudge them but miserable men But if wee consider their end we shall see the one in Abrahams Bosome and the other raigning in great glory vnder Pharoah in Egypt Then shall we say Verely there is fruit for the righteous and we shall find it true which here the Prophet sayth They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Verse 7. He that now goeth on his way weeping and beareth forth good seed shall doubtlesse come againe with ioy and bring his sheaues with him HOw could the state of the Church or the passage wherein it walketh vnder the Crosse be more liuely expressed whereby we may learne so to arme our mindes that wee lose not that Laughter which by Faith we haue apprehended but may encrease and waxe strong and feele this Laughter more and more in vs. For Faith and the life of Christians is not Hypocrisie but the Christian life is that which is here described that is to be exercised with Tentations and Afflictions vnder the Crosse and to apprehend the Word This is our true Vnion wee must dayly encrease because of the Flesh the World and the Deuill which doe exercise vs with continuall Tentations For except in these Dangers wee haue recourse vnto the Word and Prayer wee are gone The Crosse therefore is the meane wherewith God will haue vs not swallowed vp and consumed but exercised that wee may dayly grow more and more towards perfection To goe forth and weepe and to carrie Seed for so the Holy Ghost calleth it It cannot be then but that a Christian must needes bee such a Sower as must reape not in Laughter but in bitter Sorrow and Teares But thou wilt say Where is then the Laughter which is preached to the Redeemed whereof Dauid spake a little before in the Spirit For looke how much Faith thou hast so much Laughter thou hast also But sometimes this Laughter is lost and turned into Mourning yet are wee not forsaken for the Promise is sure and certaine and the Victorie ouer Sinne Hell and Death is ours but yet in hope notwithstanding so long as we are in this life we remaine alwayes in teares and mourning as Christ sayth Ioh. 16.20 The World shall reioyce but you shall sorrow but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy Psal 30.5 Heauinesse may endure for a Night but Ioy commeth in the Morning Eccl. 3.1.4 To all things there is an appointed time a time to weepe and a time to laugh a time to mourne and a time to dance All times are limitted by God to the faithfull but first for sorrow and then for ioy onely the godly men truely reioyce with sound and lasting ioy My seruants shall reioyce Exo. 15.27 and yee shall be ashamed My seruants shall sing for ioy of heart Isa 65.13 and yee shall crye for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of Spirit The stranger shall not enter into his ioy Pro. 14.10 And it is called the ioy of Gods people Thus the Scriptures euer limit this ioy to the saithfull Let them that seeke the Lord reioyce Therefore if they sorrow Psal 40.16 they onely shall out-grow their sorrow and their sorrow shall bee turned into ioy as Christ promised the Apostles Isa 35.10 The redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come to Sion with prayse and euerlasting ioy shall be vpon their heads Isa 61.3 they shall obtaine ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flye away Christ hath appointed vnto them that mourne in Sion Beautie for Ashes
for vs in Heauen Let vs not be like the foolish Iewes who loued the place of their banishment in Babel better then their Home Now our life is hid with God in Christ and wee know not yet what wee shall be but wee know when hee shall appeare wee shall be like him The Lord shall carry vs by his Mercie and bring vs by his Strength into the holy Habitation He shall plant vs in the Mountaine of his Inheritance euen the Place which hee hath prepared and Sanctuarie which hee hath established Then euerlasting ioy shall be vpon our head and sorrow mourning shall flie from vs for euer The Lord strengthen our Faith that through these mystie clouds of Affliction which now compasse vs wee may see that comfortable end which God in his Word hath discouered vnto vs. So that this Seâ—d thus prolonged and carryed for a long season is nothing else but Tentations continuing and succeeding one after another one still following vpon another But what is the end of this continuance euen this that they shall possesse eternall ioy and felicitie As the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth notably declare Now no chastising for the present seemeth to be ioyous Heb. 12.11 but grieuous here you heare of Teares neuerthelesse afterwards it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of Righteousnesse vnto them that are exercised thereby Here you heare that they shall returne with ioy Albeit then that this Seed is prolonged and deferred yet it is not so for euer but the ioy that shall follow is euerlasting Thus the Kingdome of Christ consisteth not in the power and riches of the World but in eternall Redemption which wee must attayne vnto through great Afflictions and infinite Crosses wherein notwithstanding wee are supported by the Word and Prayer vntill we come to the fulnesse of our saluation in the Kingdome of Heauen Therefore euery day should we gird vp our Loynes remembring that Warning which the Angell gaue to Eliah as most pertinent vnto vs Arise and walke thou hast yet a great Iourney to goe 1. Kin. 19.7 Of the children of God sayth Theophilactus some are at home in their owne Countrey some are in the Iourney homeward but woe vnto them who are neyther in their owne Countrey neyther in the way vnto it We are not therefore to settle our selues here as if wee had no â—urther to goe but must walke forward through this valley of teares from strength to strength till at last we appeare before the face of God in Sion Wee are still detayned in Egypt wee haue not yet obtayned the Land of Promise Psal 84.7 How then shall I sing the Songs of the Lord in a strange Land Wee are not yet past the Red Sea nor the waste Wildernesse nor the fierie Serpents what shall we doe but water our Couch night and day with teares and with feare and trembling walke on the rest of the way which yet is before vs Seeing our life is walking take heed wee keepe the right way And seeing we are in a Iourney let vs take heed that wee keepe the way otherwise our life shall be a wandring from God not a walking toward God The way is Christ I am the way Iohn 14.6 if we abide in it we shall walke with God as Enoch did before God as Abraham did toward God as Dauid did O happy turne wherein Christ is both the End the Way and the Guide Let vs walke after Christ Bernard because hee is the Truth let vs walke toward Christ because hee is the Life If yee looke to the companies of men in the World yee shall see some in stead of following Christ flying from him for he who doth euill hateth the Light Others where they should follow him runne before him not waiting vpon his Light and Direction in matters of his Worship but follow their owne Spirit doing that which is good in their owne eyes they runne with zeale but not in the right way And we haue so much the more to take heede vnto the way For he that walketh after the flesh shall at length encounter with death Gal. 6.8 because euery mans course declareth what kinde of man hee is whether carnall or spirituall and what will be his End Hee that soweth to the Flesh of the Flesh shall reape corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reape life euerlasting I am perswaded there is no man among vs who will not say hee would be at the best end which is eternall Life But here is the wonderfull folly of Men the proposed end of their Pilgrimage whereat they would be is Heauen but the way wherein they walke is the way that leadeth close to Hell Who will not esteeme him a Foole who in word sayth his Iourney is toward the South and yet for no mans warning will refraine his feet from walking toward the North but more foolish is hee who professing himselfe a Pilgrim trauelling towards heauenly Ierusalem keepes notwithstanding a contrarie course hauing his backe vpon Heauen and his face toward Hell walking not after the Spirit but after the Flesh O pittifull Blindnesse and Folly How many Witnesses of God haue forewarned thee in thy life all crying to thee with a lowd voyce This way wherein thou walkest O sinfull man is the way of Death Hee who liues after the Flesh shall die assuredly Yet wilt thou not returne nor change the course of thy life to walke after the liuing God that thou mayest be saued And hauing once found the right way Three profitable helps of a godly life which may leade vs vnto God let vs strengthen our selues to walke in it by those three most notable helpes of a godly Life deliuered vnto vs by the Prophet Dauid in three Verses of the 119. Psalme Psal 119. Verse 57. O Lord I haue determined to keepe thy Word 58. I haue made my Supplication in thy presence with my whole heart 59. I haue considered my wayes and turned my feet vnto thy Testimonies 1. Determination Determination is the first It is a good thing by settled resolution to conclude with thy selfe that thou wilt liue godly 2. Supplication Supplication is the second Except by continuall Prayer our Determination bee confirmed and strengthened by grace from God our conclusion which wee take to day shall vanish tomorrow 3. Consideration Consideration is the third and it is profitable to reduce vs againe into the way of God so often as of weakenesse we wander from it contrarie to our first determination These are the three helpes to keepe our heart in the way of God so necessarie that if without them wee doe any worke it is not possible but wee shall be snared And therefore as in a Ship which is readie to sayle so soone as the Sayles are hoysed vp presently some skilfull Mariner starts to the Rudder so euery morning wherein wee rise from our rest and make our selues
haue heard of the Patience of Iob and haue seene the End which the Lord made and that the Lord is very mercifull and full of pittie Hee that shall set himselfe to consider in his mind how poore Ioseph was handled and sold of his Brethren and how refusing to consent to the shamefull request of his Mistresse hee was cast into Prison and kept there two yeeres surely a man would take pittie on him as on a miserable person But let vs see the accomplishment of the Worke of God Let vs consider him by this meanes exalted to the Gouernment of all the Kingdome of Egypt and then wee shall count him happie aboue all If wee behold Iesus Christ mocked scourged crowned with Thornes crucified betweene two Theeues who would not be offended that the Prince of Glory and Sauiour of the World should be so handled But let vs behold him risen againe ascended into Heauen and sitting at the right hand of God aboue all Principalities and Power and wee will admire and prayse the Worke of God Hee that neuer saw a Haruest seeing the Plough-man taking much paines to tyll the Earth to spread it with Dung and after to cast faire Wheat into the Field so tylled hee would thinke that this Man were mad and that a Child were to be whipt that should doe such a thing But seeing the Haruest hee would change his minde and acknowledge that the Husbandman had done an excellent Worke. Now this is the time to Tyll to Dung and to Sowe the Haruest shall follow Let vs not change the course of the Season neyther let vs separate them the one from the other but let vs ioyne the time of the Death with the day of the Resurrection and let vs assure our selues as wee haue it in the Psalme that hauing sowed in teares wee shall reape with ioy Hee that had seene poore Lazarus full of sores Luke 16.9 at the Gate of the Rich man and the Rich man at the Table in all Delights and Pleasures hee would not haue chosen to be Lazarus but the Rich man but if tarrying a while hee saw the Soule of Lazarus carried straight by the Angels into Heauen and the Rich mans Soule goe to Hell hee would change his minde and would desire to be Lazarus Let vs then derest the glistering state of cursed Riches and let vs account of the poore and afflicted Condition of the Lazarusses of our Time wayting to bee carryed vp into euerlasting glorie The wicked haue nothing in Heauen nor wee in the World Blessed is the man saith Dauid whom the Lord instructeth by the power of his Spirit and by the Doctrine of his Law to haue contentment and rest in the time of aduersitie while the Graue is digged for the vngodly for the end of his felicitie Not to feare death Yea if we were called to suffer Death for the Name of Christ what other thing is this Death but after a long Conflict the day of Victorie the Birth of a blessed Soule after a great Trauell the Hauen desired after so furious Tempests the end of a dangerous and troublesome Voyage the healing of all Wounds and Sicknesses the deliuerance from all feare and terror the accomplishment of our Sanctification the gate of Heauen the entrance into Paradise the taking possession of the Inheritance of the Father the Day of our Marriage with the Lambe and the enioying of our Desires Who is then among vs who feeling with Saint Paul the Bondage of sinne would not crye out with him Alas wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this Body of Death And feeling the good that Death bringeth vnto vs will not also say with him I desire to bee dissolued Rom. 7.24 and to bee with Christ If Death vvherewith God threatened our first Parents is a feeling of the Wrath of God in the Soule and in the Body because of Sinne wee may well say that Death and Life are two Twinnes vnited and knit together vntill the separation of the Soule and Body and this separation which is commonly called Death is rather the deadly stroke of Death the Body being then exempt from paine and the Soule from vice and corruption wayting vntill the rest of Death bee swallowed vp in Victorie at the day of the Resurrection First therefore it is to be considered that there is no Creature more enemie vnto Man nor more able to hurt then the Deuill and indeed he is called the Enemie the Murtherer 1. Pet. 5.8 and the roaring Lyon seeking whom hee may deuoure but the Historie of Iob sheweth plainely that God holdeth him bridled so as hee can attempt nothing nor goe eyther forward or backward more then God will permit him And this which is more hee hath not power to enter so much as into the Swine vvithout the leaue of Christ What is this then that we should feare Men Are not they also vnder the prouidence power and gouernment of God It is God said Hannah 1. Sam. 2.3 the Mother of Samuel who weigheth their Enterprises so as they cannot passe one Ounce of the Weight ordayned of God It is hee that killeth and maketh aliue againe which bringeth downe to the Pit and lifteth vp againe hee maketh poore and maketh rich hee abaseth and exalteth Psal 115.3 It is hee alone as Dauid sayth which doth whatsoeuer hee will Now wee doubt not but hee will doe that which hee hath promised vs yea and that hee hath taken vpon him to make vs happie If then the Doctrine of the Prouidence of God importeth that hee hath not onely ordayned in his eternall Councell the end and issue of his Worke which is his Glorie and the Saluation of his Elect but also the fit meanes according to his infinite VVisdome and requisite for execution and accomplishment of it Let vs be assured that there is no creature that can let or alter his VVill as Saint Paul sayth Rom. 8.30 If God be for vs who shall be against vs Let vs also be assured that whatsoeuer happeneth vnto vs it is the way whereby hee hath ordayned to leade vs to Life and euerlasting Glorie c. Secondly The end of our regeneration is that there may appeare in our Life an holy melodie and consent betweene the Righteousnesse of God and our Obedience Yee haue vnderstood here before that the desire of the heart to consecrate your selues to God is a marke of your election and adoption but see yee that this desire may shew it selfe by the workes of Godlinesse and Charitie If you make profession that yee know Christ know yee him according to the Doctrine of Saint Paul that yee haue not knowne him as yee ought if yee mortifie not the Old Man and put on the New walking in righteousnesse and true holinesse God hath drawne you out of the power of Darknesse and hath transported you into the Kingdome of his beloued Sonne Walke yee then as the Children of Light renounce this cursed
Bondage of Sathan shew that yee are faithfull and not Traytors to Iesus Christ be ye without reproach and single hearted The Children I say of God vnreproueable in the middest of this crooked and peruerse Nation Phil. 2.15 amongst whom ye shine as Lights in the World which beare before you the Word of Life shew your selues to feele the wholsome Grace of God which teacheth you to renounce all Infidelity and worldly lustes to liue soberly Titus 2.12 iustly and godly thinke in your selues that the friendship of this World is Enmitie to God and that ye cannot be friends to the World but that ye must needs be Enemies to God Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse Iames 4.4 Eph. 5.11 but rather reprooue them so as your holy conuersation may serue for a proofe and checke to such as walke disorderly Remember what God said to Man Isaiah 33.6 The feare of the Lord is true wisedome and to depart from euill is Vnderstanding Let the fauour of God bee our Treasure walke as it were before him as he commaunded Abraham Thinke that ye are not your owne to liue for your selues according to your owne wisedome and pleasure but that ye appertaine vnto God that ye might liue vnto him and according to his Wisedome and Will reuealed in his Word vnto vs. That Man hath much profited who knowing that hee is not his owne hath taken away from himselfe and his owne reason all Lordship Dominion Rule and Power to resigne it to God and to suffer himselfe quietly and directly to be guided according to his pleasure There is no vice more common more pernitious or more hard to cure then the loue of our selues and therefore there is no lesson more necessarie then that which Iesus Christ taught his Apostles that to be of the number of his Disciples wee must renounce your selues renouncing then our selues hate yee that which is euill and cleaue vnto that which is good inclined by Charitie to loue one another procure things that are good not onely before God Col. 3.12 but also before men If it be possible so much as in you lyeth haue peace with all men be we as the elect of God holy and beloued clad with the bowels of compassion of kindnesse of humility of meekenesse of long suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another euen as Christ hath forgiuen you loue one another as God hath loued you For heerein is the difference betweene the children of God and the children of the Deuill and wherein ye may be knowne to be the Disciples of Christ yee are all members of one body let there be no diuision or parts taking among you 1. Cor. 12.19 but feele the afflictions of them that weepe to weepe with them and reioyce with those that reioyce to praise God with them 3. If ye be the Citizens of the Ciâ—ie of Ierusalem and will haue a sure dwelling in it Psal 15. walke in integrity labour to deale iustly speake the truth from your hearts keepe you from slandering couetousnes â—nd all other corruption acknowâ—edge in all men the Image of God whereunto you owe honor â—nd helpe especially those that are of the houshold of Faith Gal. 6.10 Ye are debtors to your neighbours of all that ye haue or are able to doe to bee disposers of it with condition that ye render to God an accompt Fourthly honour the graces of God in your Brethren and couer their infirmities by Charitie Iames 1.19.20 c. Bee quicke to heare but slow to speake and slow to wrath for the wrath of man worketh not that which is righteous in the sight of God Doe not desire hope or imagine any other meanes to prosper by then by the blessing of God and doe not looke that hee should aduance by the aide of his blessing that which he hath accursed by his mouth so goe forwards in the amendment of your liues that this day may passe yesterday Zeale to the puritie of the Doctrine with the holinesse oâ— your liues that the ignorant seeing your blamelesse conuersation and esteeming you by your good workes may glorifie God 1. Pet. 2.12 and imbrace the Gospell with you when it shall please God to call them haue minde of that great Curse pronounced by the high Iudge against such as offended any of the verie least Furthermore reioyce in the Lord indeuour to be perfect be comforted be of one consent 2. Cor. 13.11 liue in peace and the God of Loue and Peace shall be with you But as it is God that worketh in vs both to will and in worke to accomplish according to his good pleasure so aboue all things imploy your selues to pray feruently and continually Chrysostom Prayer saith Saint Chrysostome is the Soule of our Soules for it also is the soule which quickeneth all the actions of the Children of God It was the lifting vp of Moses hands to heauen which strengthened Iosua and his army Exod. 17.11 and gaue him victorie ouer the Amalekites and indeed without the grace of God that which we obtaine by prayer all that we doe is but vanitie Faith is the key that openeth the Cofers of the treasures of our God Prayer is the hand to draw it out to inrich our selues Prayer lifteth vp our hearts from earth to heauen it renueth the memorie of the promises of God to confirme vs it assureth vs against all that we can feare it obtaineth all that we can desire it giueth rest and contentment to our soules it keepeth and strengtheneth the feare to offend God it increaseth the desire to goe vnto him whom in praying we feele to be the spring and fountaine of all good things it ingendereth in vs a stedfast dispising of the World and renouncing of the Flesh it representeth vnto vs the heauenly and euerlasting felicities that we may aspire to the inioying of them There is nothing more to be desired then to be conuersant with him without whom wee cannot be happy but he that will alwaies bee with God hee must alwaies pray or reade For when we pray we talke with God and when wee reade God talketh with vs the more we are exercised in Prayer to God the more we increase in godlinesse therefore also we may not be wearie or faint-hearted in Prayer although the Lord deferre to make vs feele the fruit of our Prayers for we haue a promise of him that cannot lye that whatsoeuer wee aske of God in the name of Iesus Christ it shall be giuen vs if he deferre for some time to make vs feele the fruit of our Prayers it is for our greater benefit Let vs continue still wayting knowing assuredly that he according to his fatherly loue and bountie desireth our good can according to his infinit power giue that which we aske of him and according to his truth will heare vs. He also according to his wisedome knoweth the fittest time as is before said